WASHINGTON, DC - (February 6, 2024) - The Milken Institute School of Public Health alongside its community partners announced today they received a $300,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to provide training and technical assistance focused on the prevention and response to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) to community-based organizations across the United States working to end violence.

“Two hundred million women worldwide have experienced FGM/C, with 3-4 million girls affected every year,” said Karen A. McDonnell, Associate Professor in the Department of Prevention and Community Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. “That’s only in the countries we know about. In the United States, over a half-million girls and women are affected by, or at risk for, FGM/C and it is important that FGM/C is recognized as a prevalent form of gender-based violence worldwide.” Dr. McDonnell will serve as the principal investigator on the project.

The team assembled to address this project is a cooperative of partners that includes: The U.S. End FGM/C Network, the Global Woman PEACE Foundation, Sahiyo US, and the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. 

“It is significant that the OVW is recognizing the importance of addressing FGM/C in the United States, and that understanding its intersections with other forms of violence against women is crucial,” said Caitlin LeMay, the Executive Director of the U.S. End FGM/C Network.

Sahiyo co-founder Mariya Taher —who has been recognized by L’Oreal Paris as a 2023 Women of Worth and a leading advocate in the field of FGM/C — shared her own excitement about the partnership.

“FGM/C is an issue I’ve known about my entire life having grown up in a community in which it was practiced. This partnership between our various organizations highlights something as a child I never thought possible, a public recognition that FGM/C is a concern in the U.S., and that for us to prevent the next generation from undergoing it, we have to work in a multisectoral way that partners the government with community-based organizations, with the advocates and the survivors who have the expertise on how to address this issue.” 

Throughout the project, the team will conduct listening sessions, provide training and technical assistance, and coordinate on the creation of online resources that can be utilized to increase the capacity of care given to FGM/C by other community service providers across the U.S.  

These resources will help victim service organizations and allied stakeholders recognize and address FGM/C in their provision of services.

“We will explore how we can best meet the needs and build upon the strengths of service providers who may not even realize that the people they seek to help have experienced this trauma,” Angela Peabody, the Executive Director and Founder of the Global Woman PEACE Foundation.

By Faizneen Bharmal

Growing up in a progressive and well-educated Dawoodi Bohra family, the topic of Khatna, commonly known as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) around the world, was always shrouded in silence. The subject was rarely broached unless one became a parent, at which point it became relevant. For the majority of my life, I remained oblivious to its existence.

Within the Dawoodi Bohra community, FGM/C Type 1 is predominantly practiced. In the majority of cases, this involves part of the prepuce or the clitoral hood being cut.

I've often heard rationalizations for the practice, from women in my community: "We only remove a tiny, inconsequential part. Most girls hardly even notice it." "It's done under the supervision of a medical practitioner, ensuring hygiene and safety." However, my story and experience prompts me to pose some critical questions to those who persist in this harmful practice.

Does the severity of trauma a child endures become acceptable just because it involves removing a tiny part? A child who can remember when the act was performed on them? Are you so resolute in your beliefs that you're willing to deprive your child of what they rightfully deserve? Does your religious duty and the societal pressure of community membership outweigh the lifelong trauma that a child must endure?

For far too long, Khatna, as it's referred to in the Bohra community, remained a closely guarded secret—a taboo subject that was never up for discussion. What perplexes me is that it contradicts everything I know about my community: A community that prides itself on being educated, forward-thinking, and modern. My story isn't merely about the personal trauma I endured, but also about the immense pressure the community exerts on each generation to uphold this tradition. A tradition, it seems, is a beast that's not easily slain, even if it causes them to sacrifice the well-being of young girls.

When I made the decision to share my story, I engaged in a profound conversation with my mother. I'm grateful that she understood my perspective and is willing to support me in my mission to educate women of her generation and those younger so that the burden of this practice is not passed down to their daughters and daughters-in-law.

Faizneen is a communications professional with 12+ years of experience working to inspire action and meaningful engagement via content creation, storytelling, and media in humanitarian crises situations, rural transformation, public health, human rights, women's rights, literacy, and poverty alleviation.

Why did you want to attend the workshop and share your story? 

I wanted to attend this workshop because I wanted to get a sense of the process of storytelling from a survivor’s and advocate's perspective. I am keeping in my heart hundreds of stories that survivors from my community have shared with me.

What story did you choose to tell and create into a digital story?

I chose to tell the story of medical complications caused by FGM/C and the cry for help from hundreds of women who shared their stories with me.

What have you learned or most enjoyed during the workshop and by meeting others who shared their stories? 

The camaraderie and the shared lived experiences cannot be replicated. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that was divinely orchestrated with the right mix of participants present.

What kind of impact would you like your story to have? 

I hope that my story will be a clarion call for folks to help me bring to light the need for medical care for hundreds of thousands of women who need help locally, nationally, and globally.

Is there anything in your digital story that you would like to share? 

My digital story connects trauma, healing, and resilience to drawing strength from our ancestors. Our healing journey is incomplete without acknowledging their pain and their untold stories.

Doris Mukangu, MPH, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Amani Women Center, a comprehensive culturally tailored community center that provides comprehensive services that empower and contribute to the economic security and well-being of refugee and immigrant women and their families. As a graduate of Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, and Harvard Kennedy School of Non-Profit Management, Mukangu has over eighteen years of experience serving in leadership roles with non-profit organizations on refugee affairs and health promotion and education. Mukangu has served as a technical expert on programs initiating and implementing culturally appropriate, trauma-informed equitable methods of training, program planning, evaluation, and dissemination. With a strong commitment to prompting wellbeing, advocacy, and empowerment to the most vulnerable populations, Mukangu founded Johari Africa; a women's economic empowerment program, served as vice president of the board of Tapestri Inc, ending violence and oppression in refugee and immigrant communities, and serves on the steering committee of US End FGM/C Network https://endfgmnetwork.org/.

By Jeniffer Dias

When I learned I had an opportunity to participate in the Voices to End FGM/C workshop, I first talked with my mentor, Bárbara Oliveira, and told her that I would like to talk about myself. She told me: “This is the moment to remove your ‘mask’ and talk about you, about who you are, and how strong you have been with being alone all your life. And how you protected yourself from being afraid, from being rejected, or from people trying to do what your father did to you. You are far away from that and free.”

So I decided to talk; talk about what I did, and still do to protect myself from my past. And I decided to talk about my resilience, and how it has pushed me in my studies, work, and everyday life, to not let others hurt me again. As I usually say, resilience is the ability to accept that life has four seasons, and no matter how difficult and cold winter is, it will end. And then the spring comes, which makes me forget all the suffering that the cold caused me. Then I start to contemplate the flowers, the green fields, the birds chirping, and the rebirth of life. For me, resilience is my inner strength, my faith, the engine that exists within me that does not allow me to stop or remain shaken for a long time in the face of complicated situations; in the eyes of others, it would be impossible for me to find a way to survive or get out of it.

The decision to talk wasn't easy, however. Hours before the first virtual meeting, I was so nervous. I did a lot of things to distract myself because my mind just didn't want to accept having to talk about my terrible past. I was also worried because the last time I opened up to people about myself, they started treating me differently. So when I started talking I was afraid, but when the meeting finished I felt at peace with myself. 

I learned a lot during my workshop experience, especially about how powerful women can be stronger together. I also learned that, in working together, our voices can have an impact, improving and changing others’ lives. I felt welcomed and part of the group; everybody treated me very well. I felt love, peace, at home, and all these things helped me to create my story.

I am proud of my ability to use the bad things that I had to live with during my childhood (psychological, emotional aggression, humiliation, and abandonment), and transform them into love, affection, and care for others. Creating my story was like officially removing any relationship from being afraid of being rejected. It was like a shout of freedom. 

I would like my story to have a positive impact. I want my story to inspire others to share the message that everything is possible when you believe in yourself. Regardless of what others say or do to stop your dreams, you can accomplish them. My goals are to be an ambassador at the United Nations, and to work with children's rights, to protect them against physical and emotional violence. I also want to have a family, to travel, and to be happy. I believe I can accomplish these goals with determination and Resilience. 

Jeniffer Dias, is Portuguese born in Guinea-Bissau. Jeniffer graduated from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, where she studied Political Science and International Relations.

She has a strong comprehensive view of diplomacy, international relations, and human rights. Currently, she is carrying out research for her Master's degree in International Relations with a focus on Child Marriage.

Why did you want to attend the workshop and share your story?

I attended the workshop to learn about digital storytelling as another medium of communication in my advocacy work to stop female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). 

What story did you choose to tell and create into a digital story?

I shared the story of the unintended consequences of my cut. After the procedure, I was victimized in school. My peers mocked, despised, and isolated me; I was a loner thereafter. I lost my essence in an age when most youth are filled with exploratory exuberance.  

What have you learned or most enjoyed during the workshop and by meeting others who shared their stories?

Hearing stories from others was an eye-opener. At the workshop, I became more aware that FGM/C can be like secondhand smoking: the procedure can affect those who themselves did not undergo the surgery. I found out that the ripple effect can be as devastating as the cut. Meeting others at the workshop made me feel a kinship with those affected directly or indirectly. Our experiences left us with a long-lasting bond.

What kind of impact would you like your story to have? 

When one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. I want people to know that FGM/C can damage an individual’s self-worth, which can become the root cause of other behavioral or mental health issues.

Is there anything in your digital story that you would like to share?

The story is a plea to practicing communities, to convince them that the cost of the practice, imposed on the society, far outweighs the traditional beliefs driving it. It is my hope that silence will be broken, and people will be motivated to engage in an intellectual conversation that could demystify this traditional belief, with an aim to abolish it. 

Pidgin version:

Nigerian-born Caroline Ilogienboh retired from the Justice System in New Jersey, USA. She has written several books. Her award-winning book, “Saving Bekyah” is focused on female circumcision and its effects on women and society. The sequel, “The Greatest Hijack,” is on the Author’s Favorite list. She is currently working on the last of the trilogy, “The Hijacker Strikes Back.” When she’s not writing, Caroline spends time gardening or with her grandchildren.

“Everything I learned from the workshop was gold to me. I enjoyed all the sessions and the new skills I acquired in creating a digital story (...) about a scar. A scar that my primary duty bearers believed was necessary to have in order to be labeled as the “purified” girl, for marriage, as opposed to being referred to as a “solimaa”, the uncut girl. A scar that will resemble a fresh wound for the rest of my life. 

Here I am today, after being silent for many years. I now am not afraid to talk in public about stopping FGM/C.I wish I didn’t have this scar. I wish you didn’t either. But we don’t have to be silent about it.”

~Amie Kujabi, Voices Storyteller

Amie is one of nine storytellers who participated in the latest cohort of the Voices to End FGM/C project. Each participant bravely created videos sharing their experiences with female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), with the ultimate goal of ending this harmful practice. And starting on January 17th, Sahiyo will begin sharing these short videos along with reflection blogs from each storyteller.

A collaboration between Sahiyo, StoryCenter, and Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS), every year the Voices to End FGM/C project brings together survivors, activists, and others impacted by FGM/C from around the world. Together, these storytellers heal by connecting and sharing their stories, while growing as leaders. So far, we’ve held seven workshops in the past six years, supporting over 70 courageous souls from more than 19 countries to share their experiences.

Along with being therapeutic, these stories are tools we use to plant the seeds of greater social change. Through watching these videos, we’ve educated governments about the need for policies that protect future generations of girls from FGM/C. The videos also teach healthcare professionals and other service providers about the impact of this practice, so they can better help survivors.

“I just hope people that receive this message understand how wrong this is and if there's anyone who's in my shoes who's lost a friend this way or someone they loved, that way they can get up and advocate and they can start speaking against this practice. I hope when they receive this message, they realize the danger.”

~Gugu Makhari, Voices Storyteller

We’ll be updating the blog with the videos and reflection blogs from this year’s cohort when they’re available very soon. In the meantime, you can support storytellers from past cohorts by watching their videos on this playlist.

For further questions, contact Aries at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On December 18th, Sahiyo hosted a Voices Healing Circle where participants from across workshop cohorts came together to reconnect and meet new members of the Voices network. These sessions are part of Sahiyo's ongoing support events for Voices alumni, serving to create a space for sharing experiences, fostering camaraderie, navigating the challenges, and celebrating the successes encountered post-release of their Voices to End FGM/C digital stories.

This particular Healing Circle engaged Voices alumni who were open to sharing personal experiences from the release of their stories with the most recent Voices cohort. The Circle sparked discussions on the bravery in challenging barriers that make these conversations so difficult, as well as how opening up about female genital cutting (FGC) often means confronting not only personal trauma, but also societal expectations and norms. Alumni also reflected on experiences of receiving empathy from individuals not impacted by the practice, and how they were able to foster connections across diverse experiences. 

The overarching goal was to prepare participants of the August 2023 Voices cohort for the public debut of their narratives. Through open discussions, we can gain a deeper understanding of how to navigate the complexities and emotions that come with sharing personal experiences.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to all participants of the Voices workshops over the years for their courage and resilience in sharing their stories with us and the world, and express our admiration for those taking steps towards breaking the silence and fostering understanding and change in their communities.

Learn more about the Voices to End FGM/C program.

As we settle into 2024, the Sahiyo family is excited to welcome Sheena Vasani as our new Editorial Coordinator. Sheena, a strong believer in the power of the written world to enact social change and heal, has gone viral multiple times for her work on South Asian women’s rights and mental health issues. 

Rachel Wine, Sahiyo’s former Editorial Coordinator, will transition into the role of Research Coordinator. She is eager to lead the efforts in disseminating Sahiyo’s original research findings from the Critical Intersections project, and support partnerships with students and independent researchers.

Lastly, we say farewell to Programs Associate Meg Sinnott, who after nearly two years supporting the efforts of Sahiyo’s policy work and various programs, transitioned off of the team last month. We wish her luck in all future endeavors!